Deployment of self expanding stents has traditionally been performed using known pin and pull systems. More recently, the industry has looked toward one handed deployment strategies to replace the two handed pin and pull systems. One such strategy involves the use of a thumbwheel design in which deployment of the stent occurs responsive to rotation of the thumbwheel. In either deployment system, a retractable sheath holds the stent in a compressed state until the stent is positioned at a desired deployment location within a patient. Thereafter, the retractable sheath is slid in a proximal direction to uncover the stent and allow the same to expand at the deployment site.
In addition to a retractable sheath, deployment systems for self expanding stents utilize an underlying catheter assembly that includes a distal segment with a soft tip attached thereto that is a larger diameter than the underlying catheter. The stent is compressed around a carrier segment of the catheter assembly when the deployment system is in a pre-deployment configuration. One current strategy for attaching the pliable distal tip to the catheter involves application of two types of glue in precise quantities and shaped by a skilled manufacturing technician. While this strategy has performed well, the catheter assembly can be relative expensive since each catheter assembly must essentially be hand made by a highly skilled manufacturing technician.
The present disclosure is directed toward one or more of the problems set forth above.